PS3 not that rare? Or am I just lucky?

[udisi]

well I'm out and about a lot and maybe I'm just lucky but in the last month I've walked into 4 Gamestops and been able to buy a PS3(Including 1 today), I was in best buy 2 days before christmas and they had 50(not kidding I counted)systems stacked in the store, and I was in wal-mart randamly last week and they had a PS3. I have yet to see a wii at retail, but it seems I run into PS3s more and more often. This seems weird to me since I was watching MSNBC or one of those cable news cannels and they said the PS3 would be in short demand till summer and that the wii should be in short demand till around march. Am I just lucky? or are other people out there seeing PS3's everywhere. btw except for the wal-mart sighting all these run in's were with multiple systems. Kinda frustrating for me as I've been on the look out for another wii as my older bro wants one and I stumble on PS3s everywhere. All 60 gigs too, have yet to see a 20 gig.

[JJNova]

This is happening nation wide. I was reading an article that interviewed a Best Buy manager, and apparently a lot of them are returns that, form the understanding, are being returned because they didn't fetch as much s they wanted on eBay.

There's also quite a few listings on Craigslist for people wanting to trade their PS3's for a Wii. I think the main contributor to this is the amount of games available on the Xbox 360, and the launch library of the Wii. Both consoles offer a better selection/experience thn Sony's latest console.

I say give it some time though. Sony's got a loyal base.

[DreamTR]

Serves all those people right for assuming everyone is going to pay tons of money for a sorry excuse for a system.

[Nez]

I say give it some time though. Sony's got a loyal base.

Loyal enough to pay such a price?

[norkusa]

I was at Target on the day after Christmas and saw a 20gb sitting in the case. Was kinda surprised because I didn't expect to see any for sale so quickly after launch (was about 6 months after launch until I saw PS2's or 360's in stores).

Funny thing is that I was there for at least 5 minutes and nobody gave it a second look. Everyone was too busy looking at the 360 and Wii games.

[Lothars]

Serves all those people right for assuming everyone is going to pay tons of money for a sorry excuse for a system.

I normally don't disagree with your point, but if you compare the launch of the PS3 with the Launch of the Xbox 360 they are pretty identical

but to say that it's a sorry excuse for a system is just really bad

Though it's not surprising that the PS3's are not fully selling out at the moment, once they get some more must have titles, than it will sell better, though the main title I see out is Resistance.

I still think Sony and Nintendo will be fighting head to head for the Number 1 Position

[Dangerboy]

The biggest problem right now with the PS3 is both price and library.

Most customers come to me for advice on the situation, and all I can offer them is that if they are "hmming and hawing" at a $600 investment it's obviously not the right time yet. Especially when most of the software offered ont he PS3 can be had for much cheaper on the used 360 side...often times with better results.

It also doesn't help the case when the system is seen dead at EB, Wal-Mart, Target, AND a Game Stop. Ironically, ours died at the screen that read "END OF GAME".

I took it as an omen. ;D

The best part, as far as research goes, was the gentleman my co-assistant manager got the other day. To give you an idea of how badly the brand name theory has gone, he had a customer who spent $600 on the PS3, and wanted to know what good kids games it had for its intended owner, his SIX YEAR OLD SON.

My co-worker looked at him and went "check the PS2 section".

Note: If the age of the owner matches the first digit in a three digit price, it's not right for them.

Jason

[DreamTR]

Lothars: I am not a Sony fan. The only thing similar about the "launch" was the lack of 1st party games, and tons of 3rd party crap. Xbox Live Marketplace is much more dominant than the PlayStation Store, and for a system that "claimed" to have much better graphics than the Xbox 360, and be more of a "next generation" system, it is indeed, a sorry excuse for a system. $599 + tax for that? I don't care if it has Blue-Ray, I'll stick to a $399 360 system.

[esquire]

This is happening nation wide. I was reading an article that interviewed a Best Buy manager, and apparently a lot of them are returns that, form the understanding, are being returned because they didn't fetch as much s they wanted on eBay.

One way to tell if this is true is to check the box to see if Talladega Nights Blueray is included. Last week I was able to pick up two PS3's from Gamestop for me and a friend. Neither one came with the movie. Original launch systems came with it. (Coincidentally, some one sold their movie to Gamestop and I was able to snag it for $12.99, less my 10% Gamer discount)


Serves all those people right for assuming everyone is going to pay tons of money for a sorry excuse for a system.

I use to think the same way until I picked mine up, and now I love it. I love the PSP menu browser on it. Updating the firmware was easy (unlike my Wii which broke down during updating). The options on it are better than the Wii or 360, save for the fact that the $600 version comes with composite, not component cables. It has both wired and wireless LAN support, unlike the 360 ($100 for a wireless adapter!) or Wii (wireless only? Nintendo is shutting out people from the Wii store until the LAN adapter is available in January '07).

I am very happy with my PS3. It is far from "a sorry excuse for a system". I already own 7 games - Resistance, Full Auto 2, Ridge Racer 7, NBA 2K7, Madden 07, Call of Duty 3 and Untold Legends.

I recall waiting forever last year for additional 360 games to come out after launch. They were so slow. Oblivion was delayed. Save for DOA4, few big releases came until Spring '06, and then Summer '06 was slow. The PS3 launch and follow up is and will be quite similar.


Loyal enough to pay such a price?

As for those who shy away from it's price tag, while the 60 GB is $200 more than the 360 premium, you're getting:

1. Wireless support ($100 right there)
2. Blueray player ($200 if you go with the 360 HD DVD player)
3. An extra 40 GB of HD space
4. HDMI support
5. SD and Memory Stick capability for importing music, etc.

For the gamer like me who is going to buy (and did buy) those extras (#1 and #2) for the 360, the price of the 360 is actually more, and you are still are below the PS3 as far as storage and video output options.

[Putney]

Last week while my Dad was in town, we drove over a good portion of the Upstate NY area looking for a Wii and I saw quite a few PS3's in various stores. Never more than one or two, but still, many opportunities to grab one. Even today I stopped at a local Wal-Mart first at around 9am and saw a 20 gig model on the shelf, then I was in there again around 1:30pm and it was still there.

I didn't pick up a 360 at launch, but I honestly think there were more appealing games at that system's release versus the PS3. The $600 price tag makes that all the worse...in some ways I want the PS3 to succeed, because I've got a huge library for the PS2 and love a lot of those games, but I just worry that those development costs that the various companies will have to pay will keep those great little niche titles the PS2 did so well off the market. The Sony 1st run hardware curse seems to be at work as well, because I've seen no less than 3 demo PS3 units locked up.

I'm definitely not counting out a PS3 purchase myself, but I really hope it sets a new speed record for price drops, because I just can't justify that much for any game system, period.

[-hellvin-]

It's not that rare at all. I work at Best Buy and we've gotten in steady shipments every single week since launch. A few days before Christmas we got in 136 units. We held 36 for the an upcoming ad and put out 100 on a pallet in the department. I've defenitely seen more PS3's than Wii's this season.

[sirhansirhan]

I live in St. Louis, too, udisi, so my input might not be as useful as you want, but prior to Christmas, I had three opportunities to buy a PS3 without intentionally looking for one--the first at a GameStop, the second at a Target, and the third at an independent video game store. The GameStop encounter was around the first week of December, which seemed a particularly strange time to find one. The one I saw at Target was on 12/19, and it was after 10 PM (I wonder what time it came in?--although there was only one on the shelf). The independent video game store got theirs on 12/22 or so.

Comparitively, I only had one opportunity to buy a Wii, when I waited outside a Target for four hours on launch day.

[Japan-Games.com]

The PS3 might be better in the future, but it's not better now, and I think a lot of people (myself included) were looking at the PS3 and thinking it was overpriced. In the future, when Hi-Def TVs are more widespread and the games improve, then I think it will be a great system. For now the 360 has more and better titles and it works better with the AV set-up that I have.

Sony has history working against it, tho. Just about every "multimedia" console that has been released in gaming has failed. The PS3 stuck in the middle...not the same power and usability as a PC and too expensive to use as just a game system. Nintendo is giving you a pure game system for a fraction of the cost. Microsoft is offering more media otpions but still within a range that most people will pay.

Maybe the PS3 will pan out and meet expectations over time, and perhaps right at the time they start to see manufacturing prices drop. Who knows. But for now I can get 360 titles that I want to play for $20-$30. I have the system running through my D3 cable and optical sound on my surround system. I just don't see what a Playstation is going to do for me.

[AMG]

The price more than anything is hurting the PS3, and probably will for some time. I feel the PS3's momentum will pick up with each impending price drop.

[jajaja]

Nintendo is giving you a pure game system for a fraction of the cost.

Wii is far from a pure gaming system (i assume you're talking about the Wii). A pure gaming system is a system that only play games and the Wii can do much more than just that. There is even a media center for Wii.

[Captain Wrong]

Wii is far from a pure gaming system (i assume you're talking about the Wii). A pure gaming system is a system that only play games and the Wii can do much more than just that. There is even a media center for Wii.

Amen. I do get tired of people saying that. If the Wii is a "pure" gaming system, why can I check the weather on it? Why can I browse the Internrrd and look at pictures off an SD card?

That said, I have seen probably a dozen PS3s in the past couple of weeks, 20 and 60, but they haven't sat for too long. I lucked into a Wii from Amazon, but I have yet to see one in a store around here. My gut feeling with the PS3 is the price combined with speculators returning theirs may be the reason I see a random one or two every once in a while. Though my head says it could be a combination of demand slowing and shipments catching up.

I wouldn't read anything into it yet.

[Funk Buddy]

If you look at it another way, it's $400 cheaper than a stand alone BR player.

[fishsandwich]

Nintendo is giving you a pure game system for a fraction of the cost.

It's a pretty big "fraction", no? Buy some better cables, another controller, another nunchuck, and yet ANOTHER controller for the virtual console games and the fraction gets smaller. True, you have to buy more crap for the PS3 as well but it's not like the Wii is an impulse buy.

I stopped at the Dreamcast. I'm waiting a year before I make my choice for this generation. I'm leaning PS3 but that could change in a year (I will never buy a first-generation Sony product.)

I thought the DS was going to be a dud and that the PSP was going to be the awesome. I bought a DS for Christmas.

[sisko]

Amen. I do get tired of people saying that. If the Wii is a "pure" gaming system, why can I check the weather on it? Why can I browse the Internrrd and look at pictures off an SD card?

You also have to realize that these things are pure novelties. ALL of these things can be done 10 times faster, 10 times easier, and 10 times more powerful on your regular computer hooked up to the Internet.

Novelties, while nice, don't necessarily make the system more than the some of its parts, and in my opinion, the Wii will remain a "pure gaming console" until some killer non-gaming app comes out.

(The Opera Web Browser is not a killer app).

[Japan-Games.com]

Yeah I was thinking more high end visuals like the Hi-Def options on the XBOX and PS3. People might buy an XBOX or PS3 because of that. The extras that you described on the Wii are just a bonus....not really something that will sway a decision either way on it's own. I want the Wii because it's cheap and fun....like old school video game systems. If I want to know the weather or use PC functions then I'll use my computer.

[stonecutter]

I seen one at a pawn shop a week ago, they still had it priced at 1300 haha.
Christmas night I went on Futureshop.ca to look at boxing day deals, the opening page said they now have 1000 PS3 in stock for sale on the web. Sort of caught me off guard.

I still didn't buy one, and don't intend to at the moment. I will never say never, but I just don't intend to now.

[maxlords]

Here's the thing. The PS3 is too expensive. It doesn't come with the right cables. It's got a first gen Blu-Ray drive when most people have NO use for Blu-Ray (does the 20 GB have a Blu-Ray?). It has a SHITE library (what if you don't play sports or racing...even WORSE!). It's backwards compatible...whee. Oh yeah..and no force feedback? BAH.

The 360 has a huge library. Xbox Live is immense and constatnly updated with new content. It has an HD-DVD drive...IF YOU WANT ONE (I don't). It's been thru several gens of hardware and is much more stable. It comes with everything you need to properly hook it up. It's semi-backwards compatible...if you have Live.

The Wii has a small library but several very good titles. It's cheap (in comparison) and comes with a game. It plays all the Cube games and can take Cube controllers and memory cards. It uses regular old SD cards for memory cards (yay!). It has lots of free DLable options to turn it into a media centerish thing. It's FUN.

Frankly I'd rather spend less money to have fun with a system like the Wii. I use the 360 for all of the hardcore current gen gaming I do and I play my PS2 games...on a PS2. None of the fancy PS3 options interest me much. I use the media center interface on the 360 to watch DLed torrents and I play games on it. I use the Wii to game. I use the DS to game. I won't be buying Blu-Ray movies or HD-DVD movies....I don't care what they look like. I have a huge DVD collection...why spend stupid money to buy what I already have? There are no selling points for the PS3 as a game machine...nor do I expect there to be within the next 6-12 months. And that's what I would want one for...a game machine that has games I can't play anywhere else. If it doesn't have that, why buy it at all?

[Slate]

Nope, Not rare at all. I was in Walmart and they had three PS3s. Two were behind the counter so they may have been returns, And two of the systems that I saw were the 60 Gig version, I don't know if they had a 20 Gig.

And then the same day when I asked at EB, They said they had a 20 gig version in the back room.

I think the reason that they are so easy to find is because they're too damn expensive. The average person isn't going to pay that for something that they want to use as a GAME SYSTEM, They're not going to use it as a blu ray player, And furthermore, They may not know about High Def TVS, And who is going to buy a new TV for just one game console?

And even further yet, They may buy an EDTV by accident or buy a HDTV with the ghost imaging and the screen door effect, Or they may buy one too big for their room!

And even further, The data layer for Blu ray discs is on the bottom of the disc, So if you scratch that you're done, There is no "Disc doctoring" Done.

[jajaja]

You also have to realize that these things are pure novelties. ALL of these things can be done 10 times faster, 10 times easier, and 10 times more powerful on your regular computer hooked up to the Internet.

Novelties, while nice, don't necessarily make the system more than the some of its parts, and in my opinion, the Wii will remain a "pure gaming console" until some killer non-gaming app comes out.

(The Opera Web Browser is not a killer app).

Wouldnt that mean that all this stuff is novelties on PS3 and 360 too? That would make them pure gaming systems too.

[esquire]

Here's the thing. The PS3 ... has a SHITE library (what if you don't play sports or racing...even WORSE!).

You do realize that the 360, which NOW has a great library had release titles of pretty much the same ilk, albeit with greater number?

8 Sports Games: Madden 06, NBA Live 06, NBA 2K6, NHL 2K6, FIFA 06, Tiger Woods 06, Amped 3 and Tony Hawk's American Wasteland

(PS3 has 6 - Madden 07, NHL 2K7, NBA Live 07, NBA 2K6, Tony Hawk Project 8 and Tiger Woods 07)

3 Racing Games: Ridge Racer 6, PGR3 and NFSMW

(PS3 has 2 - RR7 and NFSC)

1 RPG-lite Game: Kameo

(PS3 has 2 - Marvel and Untold Legends)

4 FPS Games: Gun, COD 2, PD Zero and Quake IV

(PS3 has 1 - Resistance)

2 Action/Adventure Games: King Kong and Condemned

(PS3 has 2 - Mobile Suit Gundam and Genji)

That's 18 games versus the 14 that came out for the PS3, plus the 3 additional that have come out since - Full Auto 3, Fight Night 3 and Blazing Angels.


The 360 has a huge library. Xbox Live is immense and constatnly updated with new content.

and XBOX Live has been out for over a year now. I would hope they have more content than the PS3.


It's semi-backwards compatible...if you have Live.

Semi is the key word here. It's pure emulation and never will be 100% compatible, either with the % of games or with the actual games themselves.


There are no selling points for the PS3 as a game machine...nor do I expect there to be within the next 6-12 months. And that's what I would want one for...a game machine that has games I can't play anywhere else. If it doesn't have that, why buy it at all?

Lair? Heavenly Sword? FFXIII? Tekken 5? These are all PS3 exclusive games coming out in the next 6-12 months.

Resistance, Genji and Dark Legends are PS3 only. As for the Wii, its library is filled with either kiddie games or games from other consoles - COD 3, Madden, Marvel Ultimate Alliance, Rampage, Rayman (soon to be on 360), GT Pro and Monster 4x4 (Gamecube re-hashes). Sure it has your Elebits, Trauma Center and Zelda, but there is a ton of crap for it as well, most of which the Wiimote is simply a gimmick for gameplay, sort of like some of the early DS games.

Don't get me wrong here. I am not a Sony fanboy. In fact I despise the company as a corporation. But I think the PS3 is getting some undeserved criticism by people who don't have the machine or haven't even played it. I have all 3 next-gen systems and the 360 is by far my favorite at this time. 360 games - 53; Wii Games - 12; PS3 games - 7.

The 360 has a lot going for it right now. It has a large library and is readily available at most stores. So sure more people are going to choose the 360 now. But the 360 was also in a similar position a year ago as far as game choices.

[agbulls]

I have all 3 next-gen systems and the 360 is by far my favorite at this time. 360 games - 53; Wii Games - 12; PS3 games - 7.

The 360 has a lot going for it right now. It has a large library and is readily available at most stores. So sure more people are going to choose the 360 now. But the 360 was also in a similar position a year ago as far as game choices.

Can I ask what you do for a living to afford all of that? Good lord.

[ManciGames]

Same here. I was in a Best Buy around the 23rd, and they had a stack of ten or so sitting there. Nobody was even really looking at them but me...

[ManciGames]

I think the reason that they are so easy to find is because they're too damn expensive.

That's definitely part of it. But, I have to think that the other part is that it is basically a big black brick for someone who already owns a 360. The manager I spoke with at Best Buy said they had been selling 360s like crazy over the last month. He said that people would come in and say, "Do you have any PS3s?" and he'd so, "I'm sorry, we don't. But we do have some 360s." And nine times out of ten, they'd end up buying one.

I passed up a PS3 twice so far. This is the first system I have not purchased at launch since...man...maybe the NES? And I have no regrets about it. I have no interest in Resistance, so there is nothing available from the PS3 that I care to pay $600 for. If it were $250, I may have bought one, just to continue tradition...but it's not worth it at $600.

[cyberfluxor]

On topic with "PS3 not that rare? Or am I just lucky?", no it's not rare. Although I don't see them everywhere I've seen people trading them back in for Wii's and just saw one today at a pawn shop (60GB) $800. I guess they wanted a piece of the "action".

[NES_Rules]

I was in EB Games today and a woman came in asked if they had any Wii. The employee said No. Then the woman jokingly asked if they had any PS3. The employee said they had 10 of them in the back and then asked if she wanted one. She declined the offer. The employee said that people keep coming in and asking for a PS3 and then when told that they are in the back they say "uhh, nevermind, I don't really want one".

[agbulls]

I've been at the EB around the corner from my office yesterday and today during lunch. BOTH times they had 60 GB models (x2) just sitting there. Mind you they were different systems each day, but they don't seem real tough to find.

I'd pick one up if I had that kind of cash--but I quite justify $700 to the wife right after Christmas. :)

[Vinnysdad]

I can walk into my local Gamecrazy any day of the week and pick up a PS3. The problem is I dont want to be forced to buy things I dont want. I was told by an employee that Sony has forbidden them from selling PS3 consoles alone. If you buy one then you have to buy 2 games and another controller. I say shove it Sony!

[njiska]

Just took a trip out around the City. Lots of PS3s to be found. 7 60 GB models just sitting at one eb with no one even interested.

Maybe it's just me but when was the last time thiss happened with any new system so close to christmas.

[agbulls]

I really think this is 100% due to price. Lots of people received money and gift cards for Christmas. And, I would guess VERY few people got over $300 total. $300=perfect cost to get a Wii but is still over $300 short to get a PS3.

I spoke with my one of wive's first cousins during Christmas. He is 14 years old and has owned an N64 and then a PS2. He is your stereotypical kid sports gamer (which is all well and good :)) He said...and this is a quote with NO instigation from me:

"I'm gonna get a 360 for Christmas. It has better games now. The PS3 is too just much money."

Mind you, I'm sure his parents said something about price to him when they asked about what it cost. But in the long run--isn't that what really matters for the mass market? Americans are mostly well off, but lots of folks are pissed off at gas prices as is. $600 is enough for most families to laugh at--regardless of brand name.

I NEVER thought I would see the day that a 14 year old would care about price on a VIDEO GAME CONSOLE. Well folks, that day has arrived...I predict if this continues we're going to see a price cut at some point. I don't think Sony will have a choice.

[jajaja]

I NEVER thought I would see the day that a 14 year old would care about price on a VIDEO GAME CONSOLE.

I really dont think he cares that much, probly just something his parents said as you mentioned. I've seen many kids say it on a Nintendo forum and they are like 14-16 (some are even younger). Its also a typical fanboy comment "PS3 is too damn expencive, it sux!". Im not saying your wife's cuzin saying that the PS3 sux or that hes a fanboy, but the price on the PS3 is just another factor for fanboys to shit talk Sony/PS3, not because they care about the price.

[OdSquad64]

i have seen two 20 GB PS3s at Best Buy and Wal-Mart in the last two days. I actually almost tripped over the one at Best Buy as it was sittling in the middle of the aisle. I really don't think people aren't buying them because they dont want them, but because tehy have given up hope finding one untill next year and have stopped looking, leaving the remainder of the PS3s to be bought by the die hards who still havent gotten their hands on them, and the people who want them and just happen to stumble upon them. Such is my luck that a freind of mine stumbled upon a cage of seven of them at wal-mart a week ago and bought it with his employee discount card for $571.42 and sold it to me for that price. Just to note, they were stocking them in the middle of the day and he as well as several other people got them before they could even put them on the shelf. Had he not got it for me by chance i never would have started looking until spring because i didnt think i'd have any chance of finding one, and i believe there are lots of people who want PS3s who have this same mindset

[diskoboy]

As of three hours ago, the Best Buy here had 3 - 20GB models, and 1 60GB. I had 4 oppritunities to buy one since launch.

People just want the Wii.

[TurboGenesis]

My local Gamestop had 3 60gb systems as of yesterday afternoon. I haven't checked anywhere else but it is strange that they are readily available.

I thought of trading my 20gb for a 60gb but I think I'll just wait right now as the base model system is fine for me right now.

[Bronty-2]

these kinds of anecdotes are pretty shocking when you think about how few systems sony has shipped to retail at this point. If ps3's are easy to find now imagine how long large stocks of inventory will sit at this price point once a greater # of systems are out there and available.

[jajaja]

these kinds of anecdotes are pretty shocking when you think about how few systems sony has shipped to retail at this point. If ps3's are easy to find now imagine how long large stocks of inventory will sit at this price point once a greater # of systems are out there and available.

It will change when some of the sought after games comes out.

[Austin]

This is happening nation wide. I was reading an article that interviewed a Best Buy manager, and apparently a lot of them are returns that, form the understanding, are being returned because they didn't fetch as much s they wanted on eBay.

I was at Best Buy returning a faulty antenna last night and there was a guy returning two PS3s for that exact reason right in front of me.

[Kejoriv]

I too have notice an abundance of PS3 at Best Buy, Target, EB near me. No Wiis to be found.
Also, the retail ads that are in the newspaper always show PS3 with NO mention of Wii at all. This week Target and Best Buy have a one page ad in their circular of PS3 but no mention of the Wii.

[scooterb23]

PS3s readily available around here as well.

I'm just going to sit and point and laugh at the people who spent over $2000 on them less than a month ago.

[Bronty-2]

It will change when some of the sought after games comes out.

Oh I think so too... stuff like metal gear 4 will drive big sales. However, I can see the systems that get shipped in the next couple of months sitting for a lot longer than anyone anticipated.

From sony's perspective, I can't imagine they are too happy about stories like the ones on this thread. Not a lot of genuine excitement on their latest offering, at least so far; just a lot of disappointed speculators.

[jajaja]

Ye, true that, but when you think about it its not really that strange. Most of the titles are multiplatform and many already have a 360. It needs one of the big titles out like Tekken or MGS + some kiddie/all-around game like Katamari and Viva Piñata :)

[Lothars]

Ye, true that, but when you think about it its not really that strange. Most of the titles are multiplatform and many already have a 360. It needs one of the big titles out like Tekken or MGS + some kiddie/all-around game like Katamari and Viva Piñata :)


I agree I think once the games start coming out, than it will be all good.

even if it's not that hard to find one at the moment, I think in the long run it doesn't mean anything, should be interesting to see down the road.

[ManciGames]

Ye, true that, but when you think about it its not really that strange. Most of the titles are multiplatform and many already have a 360. It needs one of the big titles out like Tekken or MGS + some kiddie/all-around game like Katamari and Viva Piñata :)

As has been noted in other threads MGS4 is not even PS3 exclusive anymore. It will also appear on the 360, though we still aren't sure whether it will be "day and date" with the PS3, a month later, or six months later.

Same with Virtua Fighter 5. That was the only game still holding my interest in PS3 and now it's coming out for 360. The only thing left is FFXIII, and with the way PS3s are selling versus 360s, plus the fact that we already have seen a FF game on the 360, it would not surprise me to see MS pull a major coup in getting XIII to show up on the 360 also.

So, for me at least, there is nothing upcoming in the next year that looks "good enough to get me to pay $600 for the system". As a matter of fact, I saw Motorstorm running on a demo a few days ago, and was shocked to find that it just looked like a high res PS2 game. Jaggies and all. It looked like ATV 3, just in high res. Now maybe there is some fine work down there in the details of the game, but my God, I just don't see that big of a difference...

Lest you think I am just bashing Sony, it should be known that I bought two PS2 games in the last two months (Okami and FFXII) and have Rouge Galaxy on pre-order.

[Lothars]

As has been noted in other threads MGS4 is not even PS3 exclusive anymore. It will also appear on the 360, though we still aren't sure whether it will be "day and date" with the PS3, a month later, or six months later.


There's still no proof that it is gonna ever appear on the 360

it's possible it will appear on the 360 but chances of it happening I still think slim to none,

it will stay a PS3 exclusive it's only been rumors of it appearing on the 360 no announcements,

[pookninja]

by no means are ps3 systems rare.hell,at the gamecrazy i work at,we got the same three 60gb systems that we have had for over two weeks now.at first are dm was having us sell them as a bundle,but since the lack of intrest in the ps3,he told us to just sell the system with one game,or by itself if we can .everyone wants a wii or 360 in my neck of the woods,and i dont blame them.nothing against the ps3,but i am very happy with my wii and 360,and dont have a reason to get a ps3,at least at this time.

[jajaja]

As has been noted in other threads MGS4 is not even PS3 exclusive anymore. It will also appear on the 360, though we still aren't sure whether it will be "day and date" with the PS3, a month later, or six months later.

As Lothars said, this is only a loose rumor (where did it come from anyway?). There will probly be a MGS game for 360 and even Wii, but that MGS 4 will come for any other systems than PS3 is slim to nill.


As a matter of fact, I saw Motorstorm running on a demo a few days ago, and was shocked to find that it just looked like a high res PS2 game. Jaggies and all. It looked like ATV 3, just in high res. Now maybe there is some fine work down there in the details of the game, but my God, I just don't see that big of a difference...

I dont see why its that a big of a shock. Motorstorm is a "launch" title (came out like 1 month after the console). Some of the early 360 games looks like polished Xbox games and Wii's flagship, Zelda:TP, is a GC game.

[GarrettCRW]

It will change when some of the sought after games comes out.

And if it doesn't, then Sony is in serious trouble.

[ManciGames]

As Lothars said, this is only a loose rumor (where did it come from anyway?). There will probly be a MGS game for 360 and even Wii, but that MGS 4 will come for any other systems than PS3 is slim to nill.

I read the rumor myself in EGM last month. It was in the "Quatermann" section, which has been so lame as late, as to include nothing but stuff that is already "confirmed" in one way or another. True it may be "Metal Gear Solid 4: Director's Cut" or some such nonsense, but I have 100% faith that the MGS4 you see released on PS3 will end up on 360, just with additional content. These types of "rumors" don't end up in print unless there is some meat to them. Otherwise, EGM could be sued for libel. Can you imagine them reporting something as big as this with *nothing* to back it up? I can't...




I dont see why its that a big of a shock. Motorstorm is a "launch" title (came out like 1 month after the console). Some of the early 360 games looks like polished Xbox games and Wii's flagship, Zelda:TP, is a GC game.

In the US, it will be released outside of the "launch window". It's not quite a second gen game, but Motorstorm along with "Heavenly Sword" are being touted as the games to show you what the PS3 truly has to offer. This is not my line. These are Sony's lines. I'm sure that three or four years from now, you will see a difference in PS3 vs. 360, but for the next couple of years, the 360 does seem to have the edge.

Regarding the graphics comparisons, I do not disagree. The problem for Sony is that 360 is into its second gen of games, which look fantastic, and the Wii has already conceded the graphics race entirely. Sony's first gen PS3 games are battling second gen (and really, third gen by next Christmas) 360 games, and a different paradigm all together with the Wii.

[jajaja]

True, but i look at it when the game is out, no matter where it is in the world. I.e if PS3 got Tekken 5 on launch in Japan, but 6 months later in US i would still call it a launch title.

About the "what the PS3 truly has to offer" its true, but with a small modification. You must add the word "now" to the sentence. This is what the developers can push out of the console at the moment.


EDIT: Btw, anyone knows how the situation is in Japan?

[Flack]

Since launch I've been to several Targets, K-Marts, Wal-Marts, GameStops, Best Buys, and multiple other places and have never seen a PS3 or a Wii sitting on the shelves. About a month ago someone at work mentioned that they saw two PS3s (20 gig) at Toys R' Us and immediately other employees left to go see if they were still there.

My sife was standing in Wal-Mart last week when they brought out three 60 gig PS3s and put them on the shelf. She didn't notice until the guy next to her realized what they were and went and picked one up. My wife bought the second one (for me) and another guy picked up the third. It seems like Oklahoma may be different than other parts of the country; here, those three 60 Gig PS3s were on the shelf for less than a minute.

As for the other things people have mentioned ... yes I think it's too expensive and yes I think they'll sell more when the price drops. However, I know a lot of people (including myself) didn't realize just how many things are included and what all it can do out of the box. I spent all last night playing Gran Turismo HD (for free) that I downloaded from their online store (for free). So there really are a lot of things to consider when comparing the differences between all the consoles.

[Richter Belmount]

Saw alot of ps3s at my local toys r us.

[norkusa]

In Sundays newspaper add, Best Buy was hyping-up the fact that they will have PS3's in limited supply and that they'll be handing out purchase vouchers one hour before they open. This afternoon I went there to buy Rainbow Six Vegas for 360 and I saw at least 6 PS3's sitting there.

Went across the street to Target and saw another 4 in the display case.

I almost feel sorry for the Ebay scalpers now.

[Lothars]

I almost feel sorry for the Ebay scalpers now.

I don't it serves them right, I am glad the Ebay Scalpers got screwed.

[jajaja]

I just saw a 60GB model on Ebay ending for $660. Hardly any profit at all.

[6502]

More anecdotal evidence for grins...I saw PS3s in stock twice in the week before Christmas at the local Frys (including a dozen on Christmas Eve!). Helped my sister with some Christmas returns last week at Target, and they had PS3s in stock as well. Not a good sign. I remember the PS2 being a sellout all the way into February or March of 2001. Ditto for the 360, it was hard to find one until February or March after launch. And I still haven't seen a Wii in stock anywhere. (Note: I have very little interest in the Wii outside of the VC, if I had to choose between the two I'd probably get a PS3 instead).

Of course, Sony could have had a production miracle after launch and gotten a zillion systems into the channel before Christmas.

[jeffg]

I went home to Indiana over the past week and seen 1 at Meijers, 1 at Walmart. Then drove home the past 2 days and seen them in stock at Hastings, Toys R US in Missouri.

Then when I got home went up to best buy to use my giftcard to get a wii remote (which they didn't have any wii stuff at all)

They had about 6 PS3 60GB sitting there with all the games right out in the middle of an aisle and no one cared

[gepeto]

Over the past 2 weeks I seen ps3 availible at pratically all the stores I have been to both 60 gigs and 20. Most stores won't display them for fear of theft but they are there.

I don't care what games come out for it the hype is over the price needs to come down before it is really too late. Sony has some hard decisions to make in the coming months.

[Alucard79]

Saw about 25 PS3's at my Best Buy today. All 60 gigs.

[jonjandran]

They had over 30 PS3's at my Best Buy today. But these are the first PS3's I've seen in Columbus,Georgia or Montgomery,Alabama since they were released.

Oh and I bought one just to be able to play Blu-Ray discs :)

[xfrumx]

PS3's are def as cheap or cheaper than Blu-Ray players

I saw a dude bringing back 2 to TRU today

[Anthony1]

I think availability of the PS3 has met supply much earlier than Sony anticipated. They probably figured that the PS3 would continue to sell out into late February. This hasn't happened. PS3's are sitting on shelves for days at a time. Pretty soon we will be at a situation where stores will have PS3's in stock that will have been there for a week or more. It still isn't completely to the point where you can waltz into any store and buy one easily, but it's getting that way. I think the biggest culprit in this is the sorry game selection. The harsh reality is the fact that the current game selection is horrid at best and downright embarassing at worst. Or vice versa. Either way, for such a huge system, this has to be one of the worst launch lineups in recent memory.

The good news for Sony is that it does have some big guns waiting in the wings. Virtua Fighter 5 comes out in late Feb, MotorStorm might hit very late feb or early March, Lair, Warhawk, Heavenly Sword and Fatal Inertia should all be coming in the very near future. I don't think Sony needs to panic about anything quite yet. They still have to launch this thing in Europe, as well as other locations around the world. If PS3's aren't exactly flying off the shelves in the USA, it's not the end of the world, cause they could use more supply for the Europe launch anyways.

Now, having said all that, if Sony does get this second wave of software, and sales are still flat, then yes, that is a concern. I think when the PS3 was priced at $599 and $499, that price had a future price drop built into it. I don't think there is any question that heading into the Holiday season in late 2007, both prices will be slashed $100. However, I think that will be the first major price drop, and I think the 2nd price drop will be a bit further off into the future. The 360 is going to kill everyone with their $199 Core system this spring. At one time, I thought the Core system was the dumbest idea ever, now I see the absolute brilliance in it. At $199, even if it is a gimped package (no harddrive, no wireless controller) the Core will still fly off the shelves with reckless abandon. The fact that somebody can walk into Target, pay $199 plus tax, and then rent Gears of War and actually be playing GOW on a state of the art console for only $199 is extremely compelling. Sure the guy will need to get a memory card if he wants to save a game, and eventually a hard drive and a wireless pad and component cables and all that crap, but the bottom line is Money Talks and Bullshit walks, and $199 speaks volumes.

Microsoft just needs a very simple 30 second commercial that they run constantly over and over and over that flashes three images on the screen. The first image would be an image of the Core box, the second image would be Gears of War in action, and the third image would be $199 in the largest font possible, with heavy emphasis on the $199 part. Obviously the little disclaimers of it being a core system and GOW not being included would need to be at the end of the commercial but you get the point.

Believe me. MS's $199 Core system will own the US market. PERIOD.

[gepeto]

interesting Anthony 1 but I think hard drives are so cheap microsoft could easily take the hit on the hard drive cost.

[ManciGames]

interesting Anthony 1 but I think hard drives are so cheap microsoft could easily take the hit on the hard drive cost.

No doubt. I could see MS including a 20GB hard-drive in this $199 machine and upgrading the "premium" to a 60GB drive. That's a deal that would be very hard to pass up. Plus, if you've got broadband, you can download (admittedly limited) HD movies without the need for a more expensive drive to push up the cost.

[ManciGames]

Since launch I've been to several Targets, K-Marts, Wal-Marts, GameStops, Best Buys, and multiple other places and have never seen a PS3 or a Wii sitting on the shelves. About a month ago someone at work mentioned that they saw two PS3s (20 gig) at Toys R' Us and immediately other employees left to go see if they were still there.

My sife was standing in Wal-Mart last week when they brought out three 60 gig PS3s and put them on the shelf. She didn't notice until the guy next to her realized what they were and went and picked one up. My wife bought the second one (for me) and another guy picked up the third. It seems like Oklahoma may be different than other parts of the country; here, those three 60 Gig PS3s were on the shelf for less than a minute.


The last time I was in Best Buy, a guy told me they had sat out about 30 of them, and there were ten remaining when I was in there. That was within about a 24 hour time period. I don't doubt that three would sell out almost instantly.

The issue for Sony here is that there were thousands of people walking around those 60GB units just a few days before Christmas...and only 20 of them purchased one.

The bottom line is that there are only a few kind of people buying a PS3 right now. I believe they are:

1) People who still believe that it is some kind of sacred cow. A mythical find. And they feel they must buy it just because they have "discovered" one.

2) Hardcore gamers who must own every system at launch, regardless of what games are available. I fell into this category until the PS3...

3) People who do not own a 360, and and would rather lay out the extra cash for a PS3 in order to play 360 games. (There are only a couple of exclusives, and there are comparable and some would argue better, games on the 360).

4) People who want a cheap Blue-ray player.

Now, I think that most of they systems already sold went to people in those groups. The reason you are seeing them sitting on shelves already is that those people have already got their unit, and now Sony must sell to the casual Joe. And that is just not going to happen very often at $600.

[Bronty-2]

Is 199 core confirmed? I would have thought the next price drop would be to 249.

[AMG]

Believe me. MS's $199 Core system will own the US market. PERIOD.

If that kind of price drop does come to pass, MS will be selling consoles like crazy.

[Lozza]

I was at Walmart yesterday and I saw 2 PS3's. I guess they aren't that hard to find. If I bought a PS3 off ebay for 2-3 grand I'd be annoyed. But then again those people who've done that are obviously celebs, mega rich people.

I laughed, actually when I first played the PS3... "This is it?... You're joking!"

[Lozza]

That is true but the hype of the Wii is growing, MS will have plenty of competition. You can't compare the Wii to the 360, the Wii is better in any way that counts IMO...

I just can't afford to buy any system right now, even though I want a Wii, I'd rather wait. Iwould buy a PS2 but the price of PS2 still being $129. That is a rip off, the system is around 8 years old! Sony needs to recognize that the PS2 will sell even more, still, if they lower the price to $80-$100.

[jajaja]

That is true but the hype of the Wii is growing, MS will have plenty of competition. You can't compare the Wii to the 360, the Wii is better in any way that counts IMO...

I just can't afford to buy any system right now, even though I want a Wii, I'd rather wait. Iwould buy a PS2 but the price of PS2 still being $129. That is a rip off, the system is around 8 years old! Sony needs to recognize that the PS2 will sell even more, still, if they lower the price to $80-$100.

PS2 is soon 7 years old. Here it have dropped nearly 1/5 in price each year. At launch it was $800, today its $160. Thats a pretty good pricedrop imo. Why is $100 acceptable, but $129 a rip off? Only $29 difference, hardly any money at all in the long run :)

[Auxilla]

The PS2 was $800?Um I doubt that try $300.Now do you see thats not much price cutting.Its 2007 and its $129 that IS a ripoff.

[Lozza]

I make minimum wage in CA, and considering I have moved back and fourth from the UK I'm financially poor. I make very little money and certain things like smoking contributes to that. I don't drive, either. So for me it is hard to have the things I want. The last NEW system I bought was Gamecube back in 04-05 for $99 NEW. I do not collect like others here, I buy games to play them and it's a novelty and a fantasy for me, but not a consuming one. I get what I can as cheap as I can, complete or not.

There are lots of things I would dream of having, but I do not have a career or money to buy the things I want. So, yes $29 does make a difference to me. $600 for PS3 or $350 for ipod, I just don't understand where people get the money from, honestly. Being in America (for me) it is even harder considering I only make $7.00/hr ($7.50 starting today). But that is life I guess.